There’s embarrassment for Fine Gael after documents released by the Environment Minister show the party never called for the abolition of the Seanad during talks on reform of the upper house of the Oireachtas.

Last month, Enda Kenny took many within his own party by surprise when he announced Fine Gael would hold a referendum to axe the institution.

For more than a year the Environment Minister has been working on four proposals that seek to reform the Seanad.

And now the Environment Minister has published the confidential minutes of the meetings he held with Senators on the issue.

These show that at no point did any of the Fine Gael members of the Upper House working on the issue of reform actually seek ts abolition.

And just last week the FIne Gael leader in the Seanad – Frances Fitzgerald – wrote to Minister Gormley saying the party would accept “interim changes” ahead of the next Seanad election.

The Environment Minister is set to bring proposals to Cabinet in the coming weeks, snubbing Enda Kenny’s call for the Seanad to be wound up.

Instead it could be given new powers, including becoming a watchdog for senior public appointments like the heads of the HSE and FAS.